How to Broadfork a 30-Inch Permanent Bed
Thirty-inch permanent beds are common on small farms and market gardens because they are easy to work from both sides and fit many standardized hand-tool systems. Broadforking a 30-inch bed is straightforward when the goal is aeration rather than turning the soil.
1. Choose a fork that fits the bed
The GOAT™ is 26.5 inches wide, so it covers most of a 30-inch bed in a single working pass while leaving a small margin at the sides. A narrower fork such as the Billy GOAT™ Broad Fork can be useful where access is tighter or where you want to work the bed in narrower sections.
2. Set the tines into the bed
Stand behind the tool and step on the bar to drive the tines into the soil. Let soil conditions determine how deep the first pass goes rather than forcing the tool.
3. Pull back only enough to lift and crack the soil
Pull the handles toward you until the soil lifts and opens. You do not need to flip the soil or pull the handles all the way to the ground.
4. Return the fork upright and move back
Bring the handles upright, step back a short distance, and repeat. Work consistently down the length of the bed.
5. Match the tool to the soil
For established beds and prepared soil, The GOAT™ All Wood keeps the tool lighter. If the bed is hard, rocky, compacted, or previously unworked and you expect heavy leverage, choose The GOAT™ Bottom Steel.
6. Finish the surface only if needed
Broadforking loosens below the surface. If you need a fine seedbed afterward, a shallow finishing tool such as a tilther can be used separately.
For more detail on technique, see How to Use a Broadfork.
For help choosing among the full broadfork family, see How to Choose the Best Broadfork for Your Farm or Garden.